*Julian Gandr*

“Some of these ones have those barriers too!” Julian shouted angrily, thinking about how fast this day had gone to hell. “This should not even be possible!”

“Well, evidently it is.” Heidall struck out with the side of his hand, hitting the soldier who had been giving Julian trouble in the side of the head. Heidall did not show it often, but his physical strength was incredible, the soldier died instantly from the strike. “Still, it only raises them to the level of a nuisance.”

“That is not the point…” Julian grumbled, he would have to switch up the way he was fighting. Normally he fought with fire and lightning from a distance, but perhaps it was time to remind the people around him why he was Knight Enchanter. Though if he was honest with himself, he hated fighting like this.

But there was no time, Julian’s subordinates would not have the knowledge or experience to deal with barriers, far less multiple individuals with barriers. He worried that Lucas and the Ladies were in danger, but changing their target now would only prolong and worsen the fighting. To that end, Julian drew his sword.

To those nearby, it looked like a sheath for a dagger, though the hilt that sat in it seemed comically large and ornate for such a small blade… Except that when Julian drew the blade it was far longer than the sheath it was in. A clear and beautiful note filled the air.

The Singing Sword, Julian’s proof of mastery and his shame. Everyone laughed at the idea of a sword that sang, and Julian had long since given up explaining that it did not sing at all. It vibrated.

The cultists rushed him, as for most mages drawing a sword is the last resort and they were generally poor fighters. The keywords being ‘most’ and ‘generally.’

“Now I have not seen you use that in a long time,” Heidall laughed as he dealt with his own enemies in his usual practiced and efficient manner. “Honestly, I always thought you’d melt it down to rid yourself of the cognomen it gave you.”

One cultists made to block Julian’s swing while the other prepared to take advantage of the opening it would leave… Except the swing was not blocked, it sliced through the opposing sword, the cultists armor, through his body and bones, and through the other side. The second cultist was surprised and that small opening cost him his head.

Sir Julian “Singingsteel” Gandr might have hated the blade and the jokes at his expense, but it was undeniably effective. It also was a reminder of his own hubris, because the truth was that the sword was a failed experiment.

“Lord Lucas will help me forge a new sword eventually,” Julian muttered, his eyes shining despite the bloody battle around him. After so long on the front against demons, this much bloodshed was nothing to Julian. “Then I can ditch this thing somewhere.”

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“The Hero seemed quite opposed to making weapons though…” Heidall was also incredibly calm in battle, though Julian knew it to be a ruse. Heidall would likely spend days if not weeks in prayer and meditation asking forgiveness from the Three and seeking a way to prevent this in the future. However, in addition to the soul of a priest, Heidall had the will of a Paladin and the vision of a lord. His own emotions and regrets would not stop him from acting. “And after a talk with Archi I can see why. Some of the weapons he has described in passing…”

“Our war against demons has gone on for millenia,” Julian casually fried some of Duke Are’s soldiers, who did not have barriers of any kind and thus could be easily dealt with from a distant. “I don’t see how any weapon could be so deadly that it would matter at this point.”

“Sir!” A soldier came running, panting and wheezing. “I have a report from the soldiers you sent to reinforce the Hero’s quarters!”

Julian’s heart sank, if the Hero had died…

“They found the bodies of Lord General Tyr and two of his soldiers, as well as the mages you assigned as guards, but neither the Hero nor the Ladies were anywhere to be found!”

Julian let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding. He could not be sure of their safety, but the lack of bodies was a very good sign.

“Well, then let us continue.”

*Heidall deVon Are*

Heidall was quite relieved to hear that there was a decent chance the three were alive. Lucas might have been an ass but he liked Lady Almistraus and his cousin Archi. He had mixed feelings about his younger brother being dead, but now was not the time for that. This was beyond his own personal feelings and no matter how it might hurt, he would do his duty.

The Singing Sword drew enemies to them like flies to a carcass, and they created more than a few of those as they carved their way through the soldiers and cultists.

Heidall fought without a weapon, or it might be more accurate to call him a weapon. Imbued with Holy Power and utilizing a well trained, honed body and mind, his fists and feet struck with the force of a warhammer, but far more quickly and accurately.

“I just wish there was a peaceful way to do this…” Heidall sighed, “I know that my father would have refused, but we never did try to negotiate with him…”

“The issue is that we all knew he would refuse, Heidall.” Julian grunted, “why waste time asking questions that you already know the answer to?”

Heidall would always feel that today was his failure… If he had been better, smarter, more skilled… Perhaps he could have convinced his father to be a better ruler before his own exile… Or have found a solution that did not involve committing patricide.

“Heidall,” Julian’s sharp tone brought his mind back to the fight. Heidall didn’t need to focus on fighting really, his bodies instincts were faster and more trustworthy than thinking about each move. The thinking had happened long before, when he chose to train and hone his instincts to this level. “I know what you are thinking about, and you need to stop. We both know that nothing short of an Ascended dropping down from heaven could have convinced your father of anything, and he would take his time being convinced anyway!”

“Julian,” Heidall appreciated his friend’s intention, but… “If I did not have regrets and doubts about this I would be worse than the demons themselves. They may have been bastards, but they were my family.”

“I know,” Julian sighed even as he smoothly cut down three more soldiers. The Singing Sword might seem silly at first, but it had an edge so fine that it would sink to its hilt in stone if dropped. “You know I will always be around if you need to talk after this.”

“Yeah, I know.” Julian really was a good friend, despite his idiosyncrasies. “But let us leave that for later, for now we should get to the throne room and get this done.”